1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering device for a personal watercraft, which includes a handle holder fitted to the watercraft body. A steering shaft passes through the handle holder, and a handle is fitted to the upper end of the steering shaft.
2. Description of Background Art
A steering device for a personal watercraft is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 11-11395, entitled “STEERING DEVICE FOR PERSONAL WATERCRAFT.”
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5 of the above publication, the above-mentioned technology resides in that a steering handle 22 is fitted to a steering shaft 21. The steering shaft 21 is inserted into a cylindrical body 20. The cylindrical body 20 is clamped between a flange 21 a provided on the steering shaft 21 and a C clip 45 for engaging with the steering shaft 21. The steering shaft 21 is rotatably fitted to the cylindrical body 20.
In the above-mentioned steering device for a personal watercraft, the cylindrical body 20 and the steering shaft 21 are formed of resin to obtain a reduction in weight or to prevent corrosion. Generally, resin-made component parts are inferior to metal-made component parts in dimensional accuracy.
The above-mentioned steering device for a personal watercraft has a structure in which the cylindrical body 20 has a large span and has a dispersion of dimensions. The cylindrical body 20 is clamped between the flange 21a of the steering shaft 21 and the C clip 45 of the steering shaft 21. Namely, in the structure in which a portion between upper and lower portions of the cylindrical body 20 (hereinafter referred to as “handle holder”) is nipped, there is dispersion of the dimensions of the steering shaft 21. Accordingly, the chattering of the steering shaft in the axial direction is large.
In the steering device for a personal watercraft including resin-made component parts, it is desired to obtain a technology by which the chattering of the steering shaft in the axial direction can be reduced.